Gaydon with Chadshunt Parish Magazine December 2006

A house was burgled near the junction of Church Lane and Church Road at the end of October. The property was unoccupied at the time.

On another occasion rubbish was fly-tipped outside a property in Church Lane in broad daylight and two flower containers stolen. This may tie up to similar thefts in the surrounding area.

Local Crime Reports

Generally the County is experiencing an increase in crime. There have been burglaries in Lighthorne and Kineton. Plant pots and terracotta pots were stolen from gardens in Kineton and Little Kineton.

Robbery on Bus between Gaydon & Kineton INC 149 of 14 November We would like to make you aware that a bus driver was injured when he was assaulted by a youth who stole cash from the front cab of his vehicle on Tuesday 14 November.

The driver of the 77 Stagecoach bus picked up two youths in Lighthorne Heath shortly before 10.00hrs and they said they were going to Stratford but refused to pay their fares. During the journey the youths opened the emergency door on a number of occasions and when the driver told them to close it they were abusive towards him.

As the bus was leaving Gaydon on the B4451 the youths went to the front of the bus and when the driver asked them to leave, one of them kneed him in the groin causing him to fall to the floor. The offenders then opened the cash drawer and stole a wad of notes before heading off in the direction of Lighthorne Heath.

Someone in the area must recognise these youths who are described as being 17 to 18 years of age. One was wearing a dark blue Nike tracksuit and had very thin short hair and a gold earring. The other was 6ft tall, wearing denim jeans and a grey Lonsdale hoody. If you think you know who these youths are please contact Police on

Ask for the Communications Centre and tell them that you are ringing in response to this message or call Crime Stoppers 0800 555111 .

Over 60s Christmas Lunch

The Over 60s Christmas Lunch will be held this year

on Sunday 10 December at 12.45pm in the Village Hall.

Friendship Club

The pre-Christmas meeting has been arranged for Tuesday 12th December at 2.30pm at Trevose, Kineton Road, by kind invitation of Mrs Pauline Layton. We are very sorry to learn of the death of Mrs Edna Young, formerly Rickman, who was an active member of the club before her re-marriage and removal to Wiltshire about ten years ago. We extend our sympathies to her family.

Mobile Library

The van will be visiting the village on Thursdays 14th and 28th this month.

Church Decorating for Christmas

It is planned to decorate the Church for the Christmas Season on Friday 22 December from 2pm. Anyone willing to help would be very welcome: 'Many hands make light work'.

Also, please remember that 'What goes up must come down' and so volunteers will be needed after the festive season to help put everything away for another year. Help us to make these duties a pleasure, not a burden!
Carol-singing round Gaydon
Come and join our group of singers on
Monday 18 December at 6.30pm at the Church!
We shall be going round the village
and singing all the lovely old carols
to herald the coming of Christmas.
Afterwards, at about 7.30pm we return to the Church to warm up with mince pies and mulled wine.
Please come with us and have a good sing!
Obituaries

Monica, who died in Gaydon on 10 November, was born and brought up here, one of six children: John, Margaret, Joan, Sheila and David.

She met her husband, Eric, when he came up from Plymouth to work for Langs on the then RAF camp. They had three children, Jackie, Adrian and Caroline.

She will be sadly missed by many in the village and our sympathy goes to all her family.

William Archer

We record with sorrow the death in November of Bill Archer. He was a member of the Parish Council for many years and also served as Chairman.

Edna Young

We are very sad to record the death of Edna in Warminster Hospital, Wiltshire, on 22 November. She lived in Gaydon at the Old Bakehouse for several years in the early 1990s following the death of her first husband, Harry Rickman. She then re-married and went down to the village of Horningsham, on the Longleat estate, where she led a happy and active life until she suffered a stroke last year. Her family and friends will miss her very much.

Welcome

We welcome to the village Tim and Elaine Wells who have come to live on the Warwick Road and we hope they will enjoy life in Gaydon.

Birth

John and Julie Rickman are delighted to announce the birth of a new grand-daughter, Grace, to their daughter Jocasta and her husband Adam Blockley. She was born in Warwick Hospital on 20 November and weighed 8lb 3oz.

Church Parking

It would be very much appreciated if residents and visitors in Church Road could avoid parking directly outside the church gate on Sundays. It makes getting into church very difficult for some elderly members of the congregation coming by car.

This Month's Diary

Christmas Lunch Sun 10th 12.45pm Village Hall

Friendship Club Tues 12th 2.30pm Trevose

Carol Singing Mon 18th 6.30pm St Giles' Church

Church Decorating Fri 22nd 2pm St Giles' Church

Crib Service Sun 24th 6pm St Giles' Church

Mobile Library Thurs 14th & 28th

Toddler Group Thursdays 10-11.30am Village Hall

Carols by Candlelight

at

Fenny Compton Parish Church

Thursday 7 December at 7.45pm

Mulled Wine & Mince Pies

All are very Welcome!

Retiring collection to cover expenses

Village Hall News

The charges for hiring the Hall will remain unchanged in 2007 thus making five years at the same price. The current charge is £5 per hour for residents and £10 ph for outsiders. A review will take place at the end of next year.

It's that Dog again!

Perhaps the person who allows his or her dog to foul along

Church Road - especially in the vicinity of the Village Hall - would care to clear up after it?

Services for December 2006 AD

3 11.15 Matins Gaydon

10 11.15 Growing Together Gaydon

17 9.00 Eucharist Gaydon

3.30 Carols by Candlelight with the Bishop of Warwick Burton Dassett

Christmas Eve

24 11.00 Joint Parish Eucharist Gaydon

6.00 Crib Service Gaydon

Christmas Day

25 9.00 Family Eucharist & Carols Gaydon

10.30 Eucharist & Carols Northend

31 10.00 Joint Parish Eucharist Northend

Vicar's Letter

'Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat'.

Already there are orders being taken for Christmas turkeys, lists being composed for Christmas presents, plans being made how to spend the feast and the pressure on people is mounting.

Don't forget that amid all the commercialism and hype, we are preparing to celebrate the birth of love. Christmas is the time when we remember Jesus' birth at Bethlehem, the time when Love came down at Christmas to transform people's lives and change us for the better.

Come and celebrate with us at St Giles' the true meaning of Christmas and enter into the spirit of Christmas by letting Christ's love rule and guide our lives.

Nature Notes

At last the leaves are turning to autumnal shades and some leaf fall is now occurring, albeit about a month late this year.

There seems to be a glut of all kinds of fruit and berries. I notice flocks of Redwings from Northern Europe already arriving to feed on the hedges around the village. Golden Plover and Lapwings are here at around the same time as last year - a very large flock of the latter near the Testing Centre. Golden Plovers arrived in the fields of New Farm and near Mr Ellis's on exactly the same day as last year.

They are exciting birds and they were so exhausted that I was able to walk through them, coming within a few inches of them sitting invisible in the stubble! They are the only wader that is a 'Game Species' (meaning it can be shot in season) but no one would wish to do so these days, I feel, and perhaps they should be removed from the quarry list. They are not really gold but a peppery, black- mottled beige.

Some raptors, a common sight now, continue to fascinate; the plaintive 'mewing' of Buzzards attracting my attention last Saturday as they mobbed a Red Kite. Sparrow hawks also dash across the village gardens, so it is advisable to site any bird feeders and tables with all-round visibility in order to avoid its becoming a 'cafe' of unwary victims!

Our local rabbits seem to be suffering from 'Mexi' or myxomatosis which is a horrible and invariably fatal disease. My dog has brought many victims back and their swollen eyes indicate the illness. Before the advent of this disease in the fifties, Rabbits were eaten by every-one, older villagers say, 'at least three times a week'.

To return to fruit, the very old species such as Mulberry, Medlar and Quince seem to be making a comeback but you can't buy any of them in the supermarkets yet!

Medlars have the dubious distinction of being best to eat when they are rotting. The Mulberry was introduced to feed silk worms by James II but this is the White variety. The rich purple fruits come from the Black Mulberry, whilst the white has tri-coloured, smaller berries. The Quince looks like a huge yellow Pear and can be made into excellent cheese, jellies and jams*. All have large sensational blossoms in spring.

It's difficult to believe from the mild weather that Christmas is not far off. I even saw some late butterflies on the wing last Saturday. BP

*Quince slices will taste delicious if cooked along with your vegetables in the pan with your Sunday roast. Ed.

NEW YEAR'S EVE at THE MALT SHOVEL, GAYDON

SIX COURSE GOURMET MEAL

£50.00 per person

£25.00 deposit per person - Reservations only

MENU

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Kirsch

served with bread and butter

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Chicken, Pancetta and Rosemary Pattie

served on tomato, basil and garlic bruschetta

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Smoked Salmon marinated in Dill and Pernod

served with salad garnish and rye bread

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Lemon Sorbet with Vodka

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Haunch of Venison marinated in red wine

served with roast potatoes, roast parsnips with honey and sesame seeds and seasonal vegetables